


Where You're Going

by Lethal_Interjection



Series: After the Endgame [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, BAMF Pepper Potts, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Wakes & Funerals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 07:07:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18987721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lethal_Interjection/pseuds/Lethal_Interjection
Summary: Bucky blinked and tears began to stream down his face, soaking into his beard. “Why?” He murmured in disbelief, “Why would you wanna help me?”“Because I know, with 100 percent certainty, it’s what Tony would have done if he were still here. I believe it with all my heart.”





	Where You're Going

**Author's Note:**

> This fic takes place a few months prior to Oh Captain, My Captain

Steve could usually persuade Bucky to do just about anything... usually, but this was where Bucky had to draw the line. There was no way in hell he was getting out of the car. Especially because Steve had lured him here under false pretenses. If he’d known where they were headed, he would’ve never come.

It’s not like he was unappreciative. Quite the opposite was true, in fact. How could he not worship Tony Stark for the rest of his days? The man had saved his life. He’d saved the universe. Bucky just didn’t see how him being here at the man’s funeral was a good idea. Why would the man whose parents he’d brutally murdered want him here? It was downright disrespectful and both Steve and Sam should have known better.

“So, you’re just gonna stay in the car?” Steve asked, defeated. 

Sam wasn’t far, just a few feet away, listening in.

“That’s what I said.”

“You don’t think that this is more disrespectful than actually coming with us?” Steve tried.

“Why would he want me here, Steve? Gimme one good reason. Did you two even get to talk about this whole... mess? Me, his parents, Siberia, any of it?” Bucky asked sharply. He didn’t want to argue, but Steve was pushing his fucking buttons as only Steve Rogers could.

“Not exactly, but we buried the hatchet. He understood—”

“C’mon, Steve,” he heard Sam say, “he’s uncomfortable. Wouldn’t you be?”

He made a mental note to thank Sam later for being so empathetic. It was never Steve’s strong suit.

“Fine,” Steve relented. One more glance at Bucky and he walked off with Sam, disappearing into the cabin.

Thank goodness, he thought, pulling out his phone to peruse social media while he waited. At least it wasn’t terribly hot out with the windows down. It was technically summer already but the weather was mild by the lake and there was a cool breeze. He ran colder than most anyway so he rarely had a need for air conditioning.

Five minutes into his IG timeline, he heard the voice of an agitated woman ask, “Where is he?”

The door to the cabin opened and Pepper Potts-Stark stormed out in her black dress. Her eyes were red, but her makeup remained impeccable.

“Shit,” he hissed to himself when he realized she was on a war path leading straight to him.

Pepper kept her eyes trained on him as she walked around the car and joined him in the back seat, slamming the door behind her.

“So, what’s your problem, Barnes?” She asked without any pretense.

“Uh—I didnt—” 

“You don’t wanna be here?”

“No. Yes— I mean—”

“Is that yes or no?” She asked. Her voice was stern and oh so intimidating.

“I just— I didn’t think he would want me here is all. It’s kinda disrespectful, given our... history,” he explained.

Pepper stared at him for what seemed like an eternity before speaking again. “You mean the history where you were kidnapped and brainwashed for over 70 years and killed his parents on a mission for your captors?” He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off again. “Or the history where you and Steve fought him and left him in Siberia in a dead, 300-pound suit?”

Bucky knew better than to try and speak again so he just nodded.

“Do you think my husband was an idiot, Barnes?” She asked coolly.

“No. No, not at all.”

“Tony forgave you a long time ago. He understood that you had no control over your actions. He actually forgave you long before he even forgave Steve. He’s the one who lied,” she explained. “He broke Tony’s trust.”

Bucky had chewed Steve out all the way to Wakanda for that. He’d been disgusted to find out that Steve knew all that time and kept it to himself. It was a wonder that Tony forgave him at all. Neither of them deserved Tony’s forgiveness in his opinion.

“I hated you too... for a little while,” she said after a while, “for what you did to him.”

Bucky felt the tears coming. He turned to stare out the window so he could let them fall without her seeing.

“Until Tony showed me the tapes.”

Bucky’s head snapped back around to meet her eyes. “Tapes?”

“The tapes of Hydra wiping your mind,” she said softly. “He found them in the SHIELD dump and got them off the internet.” She paused before continuing. “The way you screamed... you were in so much pain,” her voice cracked.

“I told Shuri I wanted to keep the memories,” he whispered, “everyone I’ve— I need it, y’know? I don’t have scars anymore, but the memories, they’re my scars now. They’re part of me.”

Pepper nodded and wiped at her eye with one slender finger. “If you don’t know where you’ve come from—” 

“You don’t know where you’re going,” he smiled sadly. “Maya Angelou. I read some of her stuff in Wakanda.”

Pepper’s smile was equally sad when she placed a hand on his knee. “Will you let me help you get where you’re going, Barnes?”

Bucky blinked and tears began to stream down his face, soaking into his beard. “Why?” He murmured in disbelief, “Why would you wanna help me?”

“Because I know, with 100 percent certainty, it’s what Tony would have done if he were still here. I believe it with all my heart.” 

“I don’t—I mean I’m not wearing a suit,” he tried, holding back an all-out sob.

“It’s fine,” she shrugged before opening her door and stepping out of the car. “You never got to say sorry, this is the time to do it.” 

He nodded as she closed the car door and walked back to the cabin. He let himself fall apart as the door closed in her wake. Everything he wanted to say to Tony came pouring out in tears. He let himself sit in those emotions for a few minutes before grabbing his jacket and exiting the car. 

He shoved his hands in his pockets and joined everyone as they started to make their way out of the house, forming two columns. Bucky wasn’t sure if the formation was on purpose, but he found a spot between Sam and Scott. Sam nodded knowingly 

Steve’s cheeks were stained with dried tears as he walked next to the spider-kid. They were behind Rhodes and Tony’s friend Happy who followed Pepper and her daughter Morgan to the lake. Bucky hung back toward the house with Wanda and Sam.

“You ok?” Sam asked as they watched the wreath float away. Bucky just looked down at his feet. He was better, but he wasn’t ok, not yet. 

Bucky let his tears fall to the grass. “I just hope he knows I’m sorry. I’m so fuckin’ sorry.”

Sam placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, grounding him. “He knows, man. He knows.”


End file.
